Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple

Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple Courtesy Gospel Media Library

The Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple was the thirteenth temple built in Utah and the fourth built in the Salt Lake Valley, following the Salt Lake Temple (1893), the Jordan River Utah Temple (1981), and the Draper Utah Temple (2009).

The Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple was the first temple built in the same city as another operating temple, the Jordan River Utah Temple (1981), making South Jordan, Utah, the first city in the world to have more than one Latter-day Saint temple.

The temple is a 60,000 square-foot edifice situated on a 12-acre plot in southwest Salt Lake Valley near the Daybreak community. Oquirrh (pronounced "oh-ker") is a Goshute Indian word meaning "shining mountains," a fitting allusion to a temple, which is also known as the "Mountain of the Lord." The building is faced with light beige granite quarried and milled in China.

President Gordon B. Hinckley announced plans for the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple in his opening remarks of general conference on October 1, 2005. It was known as the South Jordan Utah Temple until its groundbreaking when President Hinckley announced the official name of the temple as the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple.

Groundbreaking, Open House, and Dedication

Ground was broken for the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple on Saturday morning, December 16, 2006, by President Hinckley in a service attended by hundreds of members. A temple open house was held from June 1, 2009, through August 1, 2009. Twelve dedicatory sessions were held from August 21–23, 2009, and were presided over by President Thomas S. Monson. The temple is the 130th operating temple in the world.

Lightening Strike

The spire of the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple was installed atop the temple on July 11, 2008, immediately followed by installation of a gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni.

Lightning struck the angel Moroni statue atop the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple on Saturday afternoon, June 13, 2009, during the public open house. The powerful bolt of lightning blackened Moroni's trumpet, arm, and face. A replacement statue was installed on August 11, 2009, 10 days before the dedicatory services began.

The ordinance room murals in the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple were painted by artists who were called as "art missionaries" for the Church.